Londoners jog, walk and cycle to work to ease Tube pressure on big return

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Britain began to get back to work today, with many Londoners jogging, walking and cycling to ease the strain on the struggling public transport system.

Day one of the capital’s gradual escape from coronavirus lockdown saw determined workers make their way back to offices, depots and plants by whatever means possible.

It was also the emotional day on which people were allowed to reunite with loved ones for the first time in seven weeks, albeit on a one-to-one basis in open spaces and keeping two metres apart.

And it marked freedom for leisure-seekers who were allowed once more to drive in England to beauty spots, play tennis, golf, go boating, visit garden centres and take unlimited exercise in the cool spring sunshine.

London Underground usage was 8.7 per cent busier during the early period before 6am compared with last week, Transport for London said.

Some 270,000 people have taken the Tube in recent days, compared with four million daily before the lockdown.

Waterloo and Victoria stations were quiet during the morning rush hour, with only handfuls of passengers on the concourses.

But there were alarming pictures of crowding on some carriages, while the two-metre social distancing rule appeared to fall by the wayside on some buses.

Only a fraction of public transport users wore DIY face coverings as advised by the Mayor and the Prime Minister, reflecting the confusion over official messaging in recent weeks.

Sky News showed footage of 35 passengers getting close to each other while getting off a bus in central London.

Twitter users posted photos showing standing room only on some services, but also of carriages on other services that were almost empty, suggesting a mixed picture.

Data from satnav firm TomTom said road congestion in London at 8am was only slightly raised compared with last week.

Londoners return to work
Nigel Howard

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it was vital to avoid public transport so that key workers such as medics and passengers with no alternative ways of travelling could get to work.

“We are asking people to be very sensible and not flood back to public transport,” he said.

“Even with all the trains and buses back to running when they are, there will not be enough space.”

Commuters return to work
Nigel Howard

Tensions between the Mayor of London and the Government surfaced. Sadiq Khan issued a tweet that stressed: “lockdown has not been lifted ... stay at home as much as possible”.

But Mr Shapps said the Government wanted City Hall to put on more buses and Tube services so that there would be more space for passengers.

In key developments:

  • Chancellor Rishi Sunak warned Britain is now entering a “significant recession”. Official figures showed GDP crashed by an unprecedented 5.8 per cent in March when lockdown began.
  • Five new ministerial task forces were launched by Boris Johnson to work out how and when to get tricky sectors of the economy like pubs and restaurants working again. Trade unions, business leaders and health experts will sit on the groups which will cover hospitality, aviation, places of worship, leisure and non-essential retail.
  • After 627 deaths tested positive for Covid yesterday, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, the Government’s statistician, told a Commons committee: “What we are seeing is a reduction in the deaths...but not at the moment as speedy as we would perhaps like. We are through the current peak. It does seem to me we need to be worried as a nation that as we come through this current peak we do not seed another one.”
  • The Police Federation said any public sector pay freeze would be “a deep and damaging betrayal”, following the leak of a Treasury document setting out options to reduce the deficit, including tax hikes and a two-year pay standstill.

Pressure on TfL from the Government to increase service levels intensified. “We need to see this ramp up very quickly,” Mr Shapps told LBC.

The Mayor’s office hit back: “TfL is doing everything possible to return Tube and bus services to normal levels under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, with many staff still off sick, shielding or self-isolating.

"But we can’t magic additional staff out of thin air.”

UK stays alerts during Coronavirus - In pictures

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City Hall sources said Tube travel overall is roughly six per cent of pre-coronavirus levels, while services are running at 65 to 70 per cent during the busiest peak hour.

Carl Moss, 39, a gardener at St Thomas’ Hospital who has been commuting from Clapham Junction to Waterloo throughout the crisis, said it was “busier today”.

He added: “I think the economy needs to start getting back together but it’s still unclear at the moment for some people.

“You can’t keep going on forever with the lockdown, I think the majority of people are sensible.”

Olga Oseman tweeted: “As a midwife in central London I have to commute. I have been driving but my 60 mins drive took 90 mins today. Please increase the Tube capacity so that I can use public transport again.”

Nick Price tweeted: “Surely it makes more sense to triple or even quadruple the Tube service to minimise the amount of people getting on each Tube.”

Commuters said many people were travelling on public transport without face coverings.

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Jeffo wrote: “London buses packed this morning with only 10 per cent wearing face masks ... second wave won’t be long.”

Derek James wrote: “Social distancing is not possible on the Tube. And many people are not wearing a face mask.”

Mr Shapps said the Government will have to “take steps” if too many people try to use the public transport system.

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